The breathing gas humidifiers used hitherto have, in general, active humidifying systems with heated evaporator chambers, over which the breathing gas to be humidified is sent. These humidifiers have high resistance and high compliance, which has a disturbing effect on the quality of artificial respiration. In addition, these humidifying systems have a relatively long heat-up time because the humidifier must first heat up the total amount of water present in the evaporator chamber before the humidifier can reach the desired humidification capacity. This may take up to 30 minutes, and the humidification capacity is reduced relatively greatly each time cold water is added, which is disadvantageous for the respiration therapy.
Mechanical dispensing units, such as pumps and valves, are also used during the evaporation of volatile anesthetics. It is disadvantageous in this connection that the mechanical components must be replaced after a certain time because of wear. The actorics components must be made of materials that are resistant to anesthetics, which causes high costs.
A known humidifier became known from DE 198 08 590 C2, in which the dispensing of the quantity of water, which depends on the respiratory volume flow, with superheated water vapor is described. The drawback of this arrangement is the necessary pump to dispense the quantity of water. Thus, there are parts subject to wear, which must be regularly replaced by the user.